Aren’t they adorable?
The stenciling is so easy to do too.
I’ve had the stencils forever and finally got around to trying them out.
The stencils came from Pampered Chef, Wilton, and Ikea.
You just lay the stencil on the cupcake, sift powdered sugar over it, then remove the stencil carefully.
And there you go, super cute cupcakes in a jiff.
Give it a go and let me know how it goes!
The war on zucchini is coming to an end and thus begins the war on tomatoes.
But with this recipe, I think I will win easily! It is so easy and so yummy and uses 5 pounds of tomatoes per batch. (I’ve already made two batches!) Oh and it’s so much better the second day.
5 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut into 1 – 2″ pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Add tomatoes to a large pot along with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and let boil for 20 minutes.
2 Add garlic and olive oil to pot and stir. Use immersion blender on low to blend to desired thickness.
recipe from Brooklyn Farm Girl
Just when you think you’ve found all the ways to use zucchini . . .
This was an easy and fun way to use up some more zucchini. Tasty too.
BREAD
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
STREUSEL
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
1 For the bread, heat oven to 350. Spray 9 – 10″ cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
2 Mix together zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl.
3 In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips. Fold zucchini mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Pour mixture into skillet.
4 For the streusel, mix all ingredients, cutting butter in to create coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in skillet.
5 Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
recipe from Betty Crocker
I have been working the past couple of months at my day job in film and television so haven’t had a chance to do porch treats in awhile. (For an explanation of porch treats, click here.) But I have some time off now so decided to do porch treats yesterday. I’ve seen this idea a few times so decided to give it a go with my own set of treats, the possibilities are endless. I’ve done a similar treat which you can see here. They are so easy and would be so fun for a birthday party or any type of celebration.
36 brownie bites (I made mine from a box of brownie mix and my mini muffin pans but you can buy these at Sam’s Club)
36 mini cinnamon rolls (which I bought at Sam’s Club)
1 package old fashioned donut holes (got these at Walmart)
2 bags Mallolicious Cupcake Marshmallows (also from Walmart)
36 Popsicle or treat sticks
Gently push treats onto a Popsicle stick. (Easiest and cutest treat ever!)
I’m gonna be honest, this wasn’t great but I think it’s my fault because I used Roma tomatoes instead of grape because that’s what I have in my garden and the Roma aren’t as juicy as the grape so I need to try it again with grape tomatoes. I just dumped a jar of spaghetti sauce in there and my family gobbled it up.
12 oz penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
6 – 8 basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 Cook pasta according to package directions, removing from heat about 2 minutes before done. Reserve about 3/4 – 1 cup pasta water.
2 Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute then add tomatoes and salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes just begin to blister, about 2 minutes. Add pasta water and chopped basil.
3 Add pasta to pan and bring to a boil for about 3 – 4 minutes. Stir in Parmesan.
recipe from Yellow Bliss Road
I think the zucchini is finally slowing down and can I just say, it’s about time. It was a good battle but I’m exhausted. These were great, almost more like a sheet cake than bars but delicious either way.
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or nut of your choice
1 Heat oven to 325. Spray 15 x 10.5″ pan with cooking spray.
2 Stir together brown sugar, butter, milk, and eggs until smooth.
3 Add in dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Stir in zucchini and mini chocolate chips.
4 Spread batter in prepared pan and top with chocolate chips and nuts.
5 Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
recipe from Butter with a Side of Bread
This was really delicious but also really dense. I forgot to put the ganache on which probably would have made it a lot better. Plus I used my sourdough starter instead of the Amish Friendship Bread starter that she used so that might have something to do with it too.
BREAD
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup starter
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
GANACHE
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 For the bread, preheat oven to 325. Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray for baking.
2 Combine all bread ingredients except chocolate chips and mix well then fold in chocolate chips.
3 Divide batter between loaf pans. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes or until top of bread bounces back when you touch it gently.
4 Allow bread to cool 10 minutes in pan before turning out to cool completely.
5 For the ganache, combine chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir then continue to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Spread over the top of the bread.
recipe from Tastes of Lizzy T
This is going to be made all through the summer because it is so dang yummy!!!!!
3 cups dry small pasta
1/3 cup pesto, or more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, more to taste
*Just a note from me, I doubled all the dressing ingredients and it was perfect
1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes, I used diced Romas because they are exploding right now in my garden
1 1/2 cups small pearlini fresh mozzarella balls, cut in half
6 or more fresh basil leaves, cut in ribbons
1 Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain but do not rinse and cool.
2 Whisk together pesto, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and balsamic vinegar (these are the ingredients that I doubled).
3 Add dressing to pasta and stir to coat. Fold in tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything
The zucchini, it just keeps coming and coming, there is no escape . . . but on the upside, it leads to yummyness like these muffins.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded or ground zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2 Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.
3 In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
4 Add wet to dry and stir just until combined then stir in zucchini, chocolate chips, and nuts.
5 Scoop into prepared pan, top with additional chips, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and muffins are lightly browned.
recipe from The Recipe Critic
A perfect summer salad!
SALAD
2 avocados, diced
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, diced
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup Feta cheese
1 cup olives, halved
1 pound chicken, boneless, cooked and diced
DRESSING
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper
1 Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
2 Whisk together all dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and stir gently to combine.
recipe from Chef at Home
Penny's Food Blog 